Online Multi-Table Tourney Strategy Question

[bigdummy315]

For some reason I seem to play better when I don't have the tournament lobby window open. I think far too early in the tournament I pay too much attention to the average stack size and the largest stack and it affects my decision on playing a hand. My question is do people generally have of thumb on what their stack size would like to be at each break, and does that affect the way you normally play?? For instance, I feel like I don't have much of a shot of cashing if I don't get close to at least doubling my stack before the first break. Do you have a strategy that you use when playing???

[DougBrennan]

I think the textbook answer would be that all you can do is to play the cards you're dealt the best you can at the table at which you're seated. And I think the text is correct here. Joe "Bigdawg" Blow on another table gets dealt AA, and is lucky enough to triple up early against KK and QQ. That doesn't mean you have to try to triple up with Q10o.

As long as you've got plenty of chips relative to the Big Blind cost, you've got plenty of time. And I've seen tournaments won (and been lucky enough to do this once myself) from stacks less than 3xBB.

So concentrate on your cards and your opponents. And if, for you, turning off the tournament lobby helps, then by all means do so.

Doug

[eMarkM]

Generally, I just like to have a stack at each break. Any stack. Somedays I have a big stick to punish those who oppose me, sometimes I have ro meekly pass hand after hand waiting for a premium one to in a desparate attempt to double through.

I don't pay too much attention to the lobby in the first hour. I've played enough of these now, I usually know where I stand and what I need to do. But usually, I like to be at least a little above average. But that does not change how I play. You have to take each hand and judge each one on the EV of a particular play and no more.

I'm not a fan of the "double up early or bust" strategy, i.e., getting all your chips in on TT and hoping you win a coin flip with AK. I'd rather hang around and wait for opportunties where I know I have the best hand with all my chips in. But then I consider myself a pretty good short stack player.

Don't think you need to double through in the first hour in order to have a chance. I've money far too often just hanging around and doubling up later when a large stack is all too willing to mix it up with you.

For example, in last night's $100 NLHE on Stars I was pretty card dead to start. After nearly 90 minutes I had T1900 and blinds were 75/150. I was near the bottom of the pile at the time. I pick up QQ and push in against a limper. I get called by a smaller stack with AJ and move to T3000. After going to T3700 I get ladies again and re-raise a player all-in I barely have covered. He calls with A8 and I go to nearly 7800 and now I'm in 3rd.

Just took two hands to go from desparte short stack to a leader. From there I used my stack to get to the final 12 before taking a beat by an inside straight that prevented me from going to the final table, but I was right there and did money in the event.

I've repeated this pattern many times of just hanging around, hanging around and then you finally get hit in the face with the deck. You can jump up real quick in NL, so I'd rather sit back and wait for the goods than try and double through on some marginal hand and get over aggressive. I like a big stack, too, of course, but it's not necessary to get early in order to money in MT tourneys.